Windows MSI Uninstall

Find and uninstall software using msiexec and PowerShell to locate product GUIDs.

WindowsPowerShellmsiexecUninstallAutomation

When to Use

  • Software doesn't appear in Add/Remove Programs
  • Need to uninstall silently for scripting/automation
  • Standard uninstaller is broken or missing
  • Deploying uninstall via RMM or group policy

Step 1: Find the Product GUID

Run this PowerShell command to search for installed software and get its GUID:

powershell
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "*INSERT NAME*" } | Select-Object Name, IdentifyingNumber

Replace *INSERT NAME* with part of the software name (wildcards supported).

Example Output

text
Name                          IdentifyingNumber
----                          -----------------
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC       {AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-AC0F074E4100}

The IdentifyingNumber is the GUID you need.

Step 2: Uninstall Using msiexec

Use the GUID from Step 1 with msiexec:

text
msiexec.exe /X {GUID} /quiet

Example

text
msiexec.exe /X {AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-AC0F074E4100} /quiet

Common msiexec Options

FlagDescription
/XUninstall the product
/quietSilent mode, no user interaction
/qnNo UI at all
/qbBasic UI (progress bar only)
/norestartSuppress restart after uninstall
/l*v log.txtVerbose logging to file

Warning

Important Notes Run PowerShell/CMD as Administrator Win32_Product query can be slow on systems with many installed programs Some software may require a restart to complete uninstall This method only works for MSI-installed software
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